Archive for the 'Morgan Breslin' Tag Under 'USC' Category

The fact that USC’s defense has thrived with only minimal contributions from linebacker Morgan Breslin is one of the surprises of this season. The Trojans will have to hope it continues.

Breslin will undergo hip surgery sometime this month and will likely miss the rest of his senior season, interim coach Ed Orgeron said Wednesday. Orgeron left open the possibility that Breslin might return for a late-December bowl game, but full recovery from hip surgery in less than six weeks seems improbable.

Last season, Breslin was one of the few standouts on USC’s struggling defense. A junior-college transfer, Breslin started at defensive end and led the Trojans with 13 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss.

Expected to be a major contributor this year, Breslin missed the season opener against Hawaii because of a foot injury, then apparently injured his hip in the Sept. 28 game against Arizona State. Breslin returned three weeks later against Notre Dame, but has now been out of the last two weeks.

Breslin would only be able to return to USC next season if he received a medical waiver from the NCAA, which seems unlikely, given that he played four games this season. More likely, he will decide to move on to the NFL, where he should be valued even though he played only 17 NCAA games.

USC linebacker Morgan Breslin won't play Saturday against Cal, and it's unknown when Breslin might be able to return from his hip injury, interim coach Ed Orgeron said Tuesday.

''We don't know exactly how long he's going to be out, but it looks like it's going to be an extensive period,'' Orgeron said on the weekly Pac-12 coaches conference call.

Breslin, a senior who led USC in sacks last season, has played in five of nine games this year but has been in and out of the lineup. He missed the season opener against Hawaii, played the next four games, missed the Arizona game, returned for Notre Dame but now has missed the last two games.

Breslin's loss has been mitigated by the strong play of his replacement, J.R. Tavai.

''We miss him,'' Orgeron said of Breslin. ''The guys miss him in the (locker) room. He's with us in the meetings but we miss him on the field, with his play-making ability and work ethic.''

USC faces a short week of preparation before Friday’s game at Oregon State. Among those injured against Utah, offensive tackle Kevin Graf (ankle) is questionable, safety Su’a Cravens (groin) is probable and walk-on tight end Shane Sullivan is out for the year with a torn ACL, interim coach Ed Orgeron said Sunday.

Orgeron said he didn’t yet know the status of receiver Marqise Lee (sprained knee), and said it was possible that tight ends Xavier Grimble and Jalen Cope-Fitzpatrick could return this week. Orgeron said Lee would be examined by a doctor this week.

USC’s injury situation, grim at the start of the week, is getting worse.

Lamar Dawson, a starting linebacker, and Justin Davis, the Trojans’ second-leading rusher, are out for the season, interim Coach Ed Orgeron confirmed Wednesday. Dawson hurt his knee during Tuesday’s practice and will need surgery. Davis hurt his ankle last Saturday against Notre Dame and had surgery this week.

Dawson, a junior and a three-year starter, is tied for fourth on the team with 35 tackles. His sack knocked Notre Dame quarterback Tommy Rees out of Saturday’s game, a tide-turning play that nearly allowed the Trojans to rally to victory. Anthony Sarao, a sophomore with some starting experience, will replace Dawson.

Davis, a dynamic freshman, averaged 6.8 yards per carry and had six touchdowns in seven games. Orgeron said Davis is ``in the hospital with his parents, and everything is fine.’’

Heading into Saturday’s game against Utah, USC’s lineup remains in flux. It’s possible that, among the 22 players who started against Notre Dame, at least seven will be unavailable to face the Utes.

It seems likely that, given his mid-week return to practice, linebacker Morgan Breslin will play against Notre Dame and reclaim much of the playing time he ceded to J.R. Tavai last week, when Breslin was out with a strained hip.

Tavai, though, played himself into a bigger role in Breslin’s absence. The junior had 10 tackles against Arizona and split reps in practice with Breslin this week. Interim coach Ed Orgeron said he intends to rotate his defensive linemen more often this week, which means Tavai should get work regardless of Breslin’s health.

``He hasn’t played much, but he is definitely going to play a bunch now,’’ Orgeron said. ``We’ve always known that he’s one of our better players. His time has come. Great young man.’’

Orgeron sounded more confident about linebacker Morgan Breslin (hip strain), who has practiced less than Lee. Breslin went through the full practice Wednesday and rotated with J.R. Tavai in drills.

``I think he’s going to play,’’ Orgeron said. ``I think he’s going to be fine. He got some reps, said he felt well.’’

Tailback Tre Madden (hamstring) didn’t practice, but Orgeron said he thought Madden would ``have a role to play’’ against Notre Dame. Orgeron didn’t say who would start at tailback, if not Madden. Receiver Victor Blackwell (ankle) did not practice but tight end Xavier Grimble (shoulder) returned.

USC got good injury news Sunday, and the best of it didn’t even involve Marqise Lee.

Lee, the All-America receiver who missed last Thursday’s game with a sprained knee, did sprints while teammates practiced Sunday, and Lee is considered ``questionable’’ to play at Notre Dame on Saturday.

That would be a high-impact return for the Trojans, but perhaps not as critical as the return of cornerback Anthony Brown, who hasn’t played since he sprained his knee Aug. 29 at Hawaii. Brown was a starter then, and his return against Notre Dame would likely boost what has been USC’s weakest position.

Brown was a full participant in practice Sunday, and if he’s ready to play, he will almost certainly supplant Torin Harris as a starting cornerback opposite Kevon Seymour. Harris struggled mightily against Arizona.

Arizona quarterback B.J. Denker, not known for a particularly strong arm, passed for 363 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions, and Arizona nearly rallied in the fourth quarter but lost 38-31.

Don’t expect much of an air show when USC plays Arizona on Thursday night.

The Wildcats’ offense is centered around All-America tailback Ka’Deem Carey, and while the Trojans would like some run-pass balance, it’s increasingly likely that they will be without two of their top three receivers.

Marqise Lee didn’t practice Thursday, and hasn’t been on the field since he sprained his knee Sept. 28 against Arizona State. USC hoped Darreus Rogers, who missed the previous two games with a high ankle sprain, would be able to go this week, but Rogers sat on the sideline for the first half of practice, then left.

Interim coach Ed Orgeron called Rogers’ status ``questionable,’’ and said of Lee, ``I doubt if he’s going to be in the game. I don’t know yet. There’s still two days, but I don’t think he’s going to play.’’

If Lee and Rogers are unable to play, the Trojans will have two scholarship receivers, Nelson Agholor and De’Von Flournoy, and that’s assuming Flournoy can play through the sprained ankle he suffered Sept. 28.

It’s an odd week for USC football, and not just because of last Sunday’s coaching change.

The Trojans have a bye today, but their next game is on Thursday night against Arizona at the Coliseum. The Trojans will not practice today, but will practice Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, then have their traditional walk-through on Wednesday.

It’s still unknown which of USC’s injured players will be ready to go Thursday.

Star receiver Marqise Lee (sprained knee) seems to be 50-50 at best, but the Trojans hope to get back fellow receivers Darreus Rogers and De’Von Flournoy, both of whom have sprained ankles.

Tailback Justin Davis also has a sprained ankle, but interim Coach Ed Orgeron said it’s not as serious as initially feared. The good news is that tailback Silas Redd, sidelined for the first five games because of a knee injury, seems to be on track to return this week.